1 . The concept of planning entire communities before their construction is an ancient one. In fact, one of the earliest such cities on record is Miletus, Greece, which was built in the 4th century BC. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance various planned communities (both theoretical and actual) were conceived (构思). Leonardo da Vinci designed several cities that were never constructed. Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, the architect Christopher Wren created a new master plan for the city, combining park land and urban space. Several 18th century cities, including Washington D.C., New York City, and St Petersburg, Russia, were built according to comprehensive planning.
One of the most important planned city concepts, the Garden City Movement, arose in the latter part of the 19th century as a reaction to the pollution and crowding of the Industrial Revolution. In 1898, Ebenezer Howard published the book To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path for Real Reform in which he laid out his ideas concerning the creation of new economically sustainable towns. Howard believed that these towns should be limited in size and density, and surrounded with a belt of undeveloped land. The idea gained enough attention and financial backing to lead to the creation of Letchworth, in Hertfordshire, England. This was the first such 'Garden City'. After the First World War, the second town built following Howard's ideas, Welwvn Garden City, was constructed.
In the early 1920s, American architects Clarence Stein and Henry Wright, inspired by Howard's ideas and the success of Letchworth and Welwyn, created the city of Radbum, New Jersey. Conceived as a community which would be safe for children, Radbum was intentionally designed so that the residents would not require automobiles. Several urban planning designs were pioneered at Radbum that would influence later planned communities, including the separation of pedestrians and vehicles, and the use of 'superblocks', each of which shared 23 acres of commonly held parkland.
In America, following the stock market crash of 1929, there was great demand for both affordable housing and employment for workers who had lost their jobs. In direct response to this, in 1935 President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration, which brought about a total of three greenbelt towns: Greenbelt, Maryland; Greenhills, Ohio; and Greendale, Wisconsin. These towns contained many of the elements of the Garden City Movement developments, including the use of superblocks and a 'green belt' of undeveloped land surrounding the community.
1. The first paragraph talks mainly about ________.| A．famous urban planners | B．the history of urban planning |
| C．the future examples of urban planning | D．problem associated with urban planning |
| A．It came just before the Industrial Revolution. |
| B．It was held back by a war and a lack of funds. |
| C．It resulted in cities that were larger than they had been before. |
| D．It was designed to address problems caused by modernization. |
| A．To reduce the danger for families living in the area. |
| B．To create something totally different from cities elsewhere. |
| C．To make sure people could park their cars close to their home. |
| D．To increase green spaces by designing houses with gardens. |
| A．Their residents were affected by the stock market collapse. |
| B．They were built for the wealthiest people in America. |
| C．They were each surrounded by natural parkland. |
| D．They were all constructed in the same year. |
2 . A fresh and gentle wind on your face, soft sand under your feet and blue waters as far as the eye can see. Is there any other Olympic sport that is played in such pleasant conditions as beach volleyball？
“I’ve gone to a lot of beautiful places, and met a lot of beautiful people. That wouldn’t have happened if I had been playing another sport.” said Randy Stoklos, America’s most famous beach volleyball player.
The sport began as a four-a-side game on beaches in Southern California in the 1920s. The first recorded two-man game took place there in 1930, and the first tournament (锦标赛) was held in Los Angeles 18 years later. The winners were awarded a case of Pepsi. In the 1950s, women started playing and the sport soon spread to Europe and South America. Yet at that time, beach volleyball was more an entertainment show than a sport, with beauty contests included. The Association of Volleyball Professionals was founded in 1983 and beach volleyball developed into a fast, athletic sport. Its world-wide popularity won beach volleyball a place at the 1996 Olympics in Atalanta, where 24 male teams and 16 female teams took part. At present, the US and Brazil are the best in the world at beach volleyball.
The game came to China in the early 1990s and there have been national tournaments since 1994. It became an official event at the Eighth National Games in 1997. China’s You Wenhui and Wang Lu finished ninth in the women’s beach volleyball world championships in Brazil.
1. The passage is mainly about ______.| A．the history of beach volleyball |
| B．how to play beach volleyball |
| C．the importance of beach volleyball |
| D．women’s beach volleyball in China |
| A．Beach volleyball was first played like other Olympic: sports. |
| B．Beach volleyball has always been an entertainment show rather than a sport. |
| C．Beach volleyball began on beaches in Souther California. |
| D．Women started playing beach volleyball in South America in 1945. |
| A．In 1948, | B．In 1996. | C．In 1950. | D．In 1997. |
| A．in 1996, beach volleyball became an official event in China |
| B．China’s beach volleyball team is the best in the world |
| C．China’s beach volleyball players won the first place in Brazil |
| D．beach volleyball came to China in the early 1990s |
3 . Many people today think of the pyramids of Giza as the symbol of ancient Egyptian culture. But who actually built them? For years, we did not know for sure. Now, however, archaeologists have discovered an ancient city near the pyramids. Close by, there is a cemetery (墓地) where the pyramid builders were buried. From studying these places, archaeologists are sure that the pyramids were not built by slaves or foreigners.
It took about 80 years to build the pyramids. Archaeologists believe that about 20,000-30,000 people took part in the construction.
“We can see that in their skeletons(骨骼),” says Azza Mohamed Sarry El-Din, a scientist studying bones found in the cemetery. According to her research, the bones show signs of arthritis (关节炎)．
| A．It still remains a mystery. |
| B．Ordinary Egyptians built them. |
| C．The workers took on different roles. |
| D．In fact, their lives may have been even harder. |
| E．They worked on the same jobs but competed to be the best. |
| F．The task was challenging, but builders were proud of their work. |
| G．This probably developed from carrying heavy things for a long time. |
4 . Most of the people who appear most often and most gloriously in the history books are great conquerors and generals, while the people who really helped civilization forward are often never mentioned. We do not know who first set a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat, or calculated the length of the year, but we know all about the killers and destroyers. People think so much of them that on all the highest pillars in the great cities of the world you will find the figure of a conqueror or a general.
It is possible they are, but they are not the most civilized. Animals fight, so do savages; so to be good at fighting is to be good in the way in which an animal or a savage is good, but it is not to be civilized.
This is what the story of mankind has on the whole been like. But we must not expect too much. After all, the race of men has only just started. From the point of view of evolution, human beings are very young indeed, babies of a few months old. Scientists assume that there has been life of some sort on the earth for about twelve hundred million years; but there have been men for only one million years, and there has been civilized men for about eight thousand years.
| A．Even being good at getting others to fight most efficiently is not being civilized. |
| B．Most people believe those who have conquered the most nations are the greatest. |
| C．However, every year conflicts between countries and nations still claim thousands of lives. |
| D．And not only has it won, buts also because it has won, it has been in the right. |
| E．So there has been little time to learn in, but there will be oceans of time in which to learn better. |
| F．People don’t fight and kill each other in the streets, but nations still behave like savages. |
5 . Arbeia Roman Fort and Museum
Location and History
Arbeia Roman Fort is situated on Hadrian's Wall. It was the most important structure built by the Romans in Britain, and now it has been a World Heritage Site. Built around AD 160, Arbeia Roman Fort was the military supply base for the soldiers who were stationed along Hadrian's Wall. The fort has been gradually uncovered and some original parts have been revealed. There are reconstructions that show how Arbeia Roman Fort would have looked.
The Reconstructions
The reconstructions of the Commanding Officer's house and soldiers' quarters are strikingly different. The accommodation for soldiers is dark and uncomfortable, while the Commanding Officer's house is spacious and luxurious, with courtyards with fountains for him and his family to enjoy.
The Museum
Visit the museum and see many objects that were found at Arbeia. They are historically important and show what daily life was really like at that time. You will see weapons, tools, jewellery, and so on. You can also discover how the Romans buried their dead and see tombstones which survive to this day. There is a "hands-on" area allowing visitors to dig on a certain site and study their findings with the help of museum staff. You can piece together pottery (陶器), or try writing just as the Romans would have done. For children, they can build this Roman fort with building blocks by themselves.
| Opening Times and Getting There April 1—October 31: Monday to Saturday 10:00am—5:00pm, Sunday 2:00pm—5:00pm. November 1—March 31: Monday to Saturday 11:00am—4:00pm, closed Sunday. (Closed December 25—26 and January 1) Entry is free. Arbeia is only a ten—minute walk from the bus station at South Shields. Free car park nearby. Website: www.twmuseums.org.uk/arbeia |
| A．was related to the military | B．got reconstructions around AD 160 |
| C．was built in a small area in Rome | D．provided a comfortable life for soldiers |
| A．See historical objects. | B．Build tombstones for the dead. |
| C．Write to Romans, | D．Try using old tools and weapons. |
| A．On April 1. | B．On October 31. |
| C．On November 1. | D．On December 26. |
The discovery of Machu Picchu | |
The Incas Between 1438 and 1532 the Incas built an empire with a population of about 12,000,000 people on the west coast of South America. They had no system of writing, so little is known about their everyday lives. But we do know these things: ● they built large cities in the mountains ● they built houses with huge square stones ● they built 23,000 kilometers of roads through the mountains ● they did not have wheels so everything was carried by animals or people | It was early morning on 24 July, 1911. A young American archaeologist named Hiram Bingham was in a small hotel in Peru, in the Andes mountains. He was there because he wanted to find a lost Inca city. He was not the first. Before Bingham, other explorers had looked for the city, but they hadn’t found it. Bingham has always been attracted by the Incas. He was a university professor and had studied their civilization for many years. Bingham and some scientists had travelled all the way to Peru from the USA, and had gone up to the city of Cuzco. From Cuzco, they had travelled higher up into the mountains, to about 1,800 meters, and they had spent the night in the hotel. The hotel owner had told Bingham about a ‘lost’ city not far away. On the morning of 24 July, Bingham and a guide went out in the heavy tropical rain and climbed another 60 meters. On the way, they met a ten-year-old boy who led them through the jungle to a wall. They climbed over it and there it was. Machu Picchu—the lost city of the Incas. In his book ‘The discovery of Machu Picchu’ Hiram Bingham wrote: ‘Suddenly I was standing in front of the walls of a ruin and houses from the best quality of Inca art… I found brilliant temples, royal houses, a big square and tens of houses. It looked like a dream.’ |
| A．They left behind no written records. |
| B．They lived along the coast of America. |
| C．They invented vehicles without wheels. |
| D．They built roads leading to other empires. |
| A．To study an endangered civilization. |
| B．To find local people that once lived there. |
| C．To confirm other explorers’ previous findings. |
| D．To look for an ancient city that used to be there. |
| A．The book ‘The discovery of Machu Picchu’ was completed. |
| B．A little boy went through the jungle by accident. |
| C．The city of Cuzco was rediscovered. |
| D．Bingham found Machu Picchu. |
7 . No one knows when the first printing press was invented or who invented it. but the oldest known printed text originated in China during the first millennium (千年) AD. The Diamond Sutra (《金刚经》), a Buddhist book from Dunhuang, China during the Tang Dynasty, is said to be the oldest known printed book. The Diamond Sutra was created with a method known as block printing (雕版印刷), which used boards of hand-carved wood blocks in reverse.
It was said that the moveable type was developed by Bi Sheng. He was from Yingshan, Hubei, China, living from 970 to 1051 AD. His method replaced panels of printing blocks with moveable individual Chinese characters that could be reused. The first moveable Chinese Characters were carved into clay and baked into hard blocks that were then arranged onto an iron frame that was pressed against an iron plate.
The earliest mention of Bi Sheng’s printing press is in the book Dream Pool Essays, written in 1086 by Shen Kuo, who noted that his nephews came into possession of Bi Sheng’s typefaces (字体) after his death. Shen Kuo explained that Bi Sheng did not use wood because the texture is inconsistent (不一致的) and absorbs wetness too easily.
By the time of the Southern Song Dynasty, which ruled from 1127 to 1279 AD, books had become popular in society and helped create a scholarly class of citizens who had the capabilities to become civil servants. Large printed book collections also became a status symbol for the wealthy class.
1. When was Bi Sheng’s printing press first introduced in history?| A．After Bi Sheng died and his nephews owned his typefaces. |
| B．When books became popular in the Southern Song Dynasty. |
| C．After the block printing was replaced by the moveable type printing. |
| D．When The Diamond Sutra was printed into a book. |
| A．Shen Kuo made great contributions to printing. |
| B．The moveable type printing was invented earlier than block printing. |
| C．Printed books were hard to get in the Song Dynasty. |
| D．By the Southern Song Dynasty, books had helped people get to higher social positions. |
| A．To show that Buddhism was popular in the Tang Dynasty. |
| B．To introduce the early history of printing. |
| C．To memorize Bi Sheng, developing the moveable type printing. |
| D．To indicate the advantages of moveable type printing. |
8 . Pirates: Romance and Reality
In the movies, pirates (海盗) have exciting and adventurous lives.
A Pirate’s Life
While movie pirates are men in search of adventure, the average pirate was usually trying to escape from a different life. Some were ex-sailors who were treated poorly on their ships.
In movies, pirates have chests full of gold and piles of money stolen from other people. However it as far more common for pirates to steal things like cloth, spices, and even medicine. They often sold these things.
Pirate Style
Movie pirates often wear eye patches and have wooden legs. Many real pirates also looked like this. Why?
| A．Pirate Heaven |
| B．Pirate Treasure |
| C．One reason was the poor living conditions. |
| D．Others were escaped slaves who wanted their freedom. |
| E．But what was life actually like for an 18th –century pirate? |
| F．The men also divided the income from stolen goods fairly. |
| G．Also, unlike movie pirates, real pirates didn't bury their money. |
9 . Magic (魔术) is believed to have begun with the Egyptians, in 1700 BC. A magician named Dedi of Dedsnefu was reported to have performed for the pharaoh (法老), or the king. He was also known to have entertained (使娱乐) the slaves who built the pyramids. The “Cups and Balls” trick that he was particularly good at is still performed by magicians all over the world today.
The ancient Greeks and Romans were also fascinated by the idea of magic. Actually, one of their main interests was the art of deception (欺骗). This explains why at that time the priests even built magic devices into their temples. These devices made it possible for doors to open by themselves and wine to flow magically out of statues’ mouths. This was done mainly to make people believe that the priests had unusual power.
Magic however, was not well accepted before the 1800s. Magicians were thought to be freaks(怪物) and, were only allowed to perform in a circus. It was in the 19th century that the magician Robert Houdin came along and changed people’s views and attitudes about magic. It was because of Robert Houdin that many magicians were able to add Dr. or MD to their names. Today magicians try hard to find new ways to show their practiced skills. Magic is now entertainment for families all over the world.
1. What is the best title for the passage?| A．Magical Tricks | B．A Great Magician |
| C．Magic as Entertainment | D．The History of Magic |
| A．amused | B．encouraged | C．attracted | D．moved |
| A．They performed magical tricks to entertain people. |
| B．They made the statues in the temples drink wine as they wished. |
| C．They treated the people with wine flowing down from statues’ mouths. |
| D．They built magic devices in the temples to make doors open by themselves. |
| A．Magic should be used only in temples. |
| B．Magic could only be performed in a circus. |
| C．Magic was performed by freaks and doctors. |
| D．Magic was the major daily activity for the pharaohs. |
| A．Magic began about 3,700 years ago. |
| B．Dedi of Dedsnefu performed magic for kings only. |
| C．Robert Houdin was the first magician to perform magic. |
| D．The “Cups and Balls” trick has been performed for about 1,700 years. |
10 . Medical Practices in Ancient Egypt
Learning from the Dead
To find out why people have died,today’s medical examiners perform autopsies(尸体解剖).They cut open the body and study its parts.Ancient Egyptians also performed autopsies to help understand causes of death.In addition,autopsies helped ancient Egyptians study the human body.By comparing the hearts of people who were different ages,for example,Egyptians could determine what a young,healthy heart was supposed to look like.
Keeping a Written Record
The Egyptians not only studied the human body,but they also kept detailed records of what they discovered.They wrote and drew their observations on papyrus,a form of paper.The papyrus records became the medical textbooks of that time.Their observations allowed Egyptian doctors to share their knowledge,including how to treat various diseases.
Edwin Smith Papyrus
In 1862,an American named Edwin Smith purchased a medical papyrus in Luxor,Egypt. Smith was not a medical expert,but he knew a lot about old documents.He knew that what he had found was valuable.The papyrus turned out to be an ancient textbook on surgery.The papyrus was probably written around 1600 BC,but it was based on information from a thousand years before that.The papyrus presents the information as case studies,including an analysis of how patients survived or died.
1. By performing autopsies,ancient Egyptians could____| A．determine the causes of illnesses |
| B．learn about different body parts |
| C．keep detailed records on textbooks |
| D．share what they had discovered |
| A．originally written on papyrus |
| B．an ancient medical textbook |
| C．discovered by a medical expert |
| D．written a thousand years before |
| A．a story book |
| B．a health leaflet |
| C．a medical magazine |
| D．a biology textbook |
